Epiphany in many European countries is as important as Christmas. In fact, in orthodox churches in Greece and Russia, 6th of January is Christmas Day. In Crete, however, Epiphany is called Theofania or Fota and is important because it is a day for blessing the waters – clearly something of prime interest to an island. […]

Everyone loves a festival and sometimes it seems that any excuse for a celebration will do. You’ll find some rather strange festivals all over the world and Greece is no exception: from a “war between churches” to gender role changing there is something that will make you rise an eyebrow- if not both. Here […]

Literally covered by extensive forests and thousands of lakes Finland is a country that, if to be described with just one word, natural would be the your best choice. This Nordic country spends most of the year covered in snow and in sub-zero temperatures, and with just 17 people per square kilometer (making it the […]

Easily walkable Helsinki is a medium sized city with enough things to see and do to keep you busy for a couple of days at most. This Scandinavian city is one of the coldest capitals in Europe with a yearly average temperature of just a few degrees above zero Celsius so unless you’re visiting late […]

The eleventh annual Mares Vivas Festival (also known as the Baywatch Festival) will be taking place between the 18th – 20th July, and this year, like every other, it’s sure to be a weekend not to be missed. If you want to combine Mares Vivas 2013 with a relaxing break, First Choice have a number […]

Few traditions are as rooted to the Finnish way of life as the sauna experience. So much, in fact, that families tend to have one in their homes when they can, but if not, will often visit the closest one for a good dose of extreme heat and humidity. As a visitor this may seem […]

With a population of only 350 individuals year round Saariselka is a small town in the Finnish Lapland well known for its huge array of activities to enjoy mainly during the winter months, but also in summer. From ice fishing to mushing, snowmobile safaris, downhill skiing, cross country skiing or watching the Northern Lights there […]

It’s true: no matter how you look at it Inari is way up North, much more than you really think, and yet despite being in the land of the Aurora Borealis, the Sami people, the continuous sub-zero temperatures and the days with no light Inari in the Finnish Lapland is a unique place not only […]

“Federico! How are you?” asked Micca, my guide for a day in Lapland when he saw me walking into the arrival hall at Ivalo airport. I wasn’t about to confess that I was deadbeat after three days of travel, five airplanes and 18 hours of flying time. “I’m perfect, excited to be here again!” I […]

The Fallas in Valencia are a traditional holiday that has become a unique celebration in the world. Declared of interest to humanity by UNESCO they have become extremely popular among tourists who flock here during the month of March on time to welcome the pleasant spring weather and participate this extraordinary fiesta not that will […]

Gibraltar’s strategic position in Spain’s southernmost tip has been a source of contention ever since this small territory was declared part of British sovereignty in the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, after and Anglo-Dutch force invaded and conquered this territory in 1704. With just 6.8 square kilometers (2.6 sq mi) this small piece of land is strategically […]

Being the largest and probably most important city of Andalucia Seville has no shortage of accommodation options, ranging from budget hostels to top notch hotels. But with so much to choose from, what is your best bet and, perhaps most important, where in the city should you stay in? When planning my trip to Seville […]

Note: If possible, I recommend you listen to this —Guajiras de Lucia—flamenco guitar song while reading this article to better appreciate the culture and difficulty of this music genre. The piece is by Paco de Lucia, perhaps the greatest flamenco guitar player of all times. Spain’s southern provinces that belong to the autonomous region of […]

Founded several centuries B.C. in a small island that existed in the Guadalquivir river and conquered by the Romans in 206 AD Julius Caesar named the city Hispalis, becoming the largest in Hispania (Spain) and with a similar appearance to what Rome was then (there was a wall around it) it was considered one of […]

The beaches of Cyprus are numerous and varied: white sand or dark sand; pebble or rocky; bustling or isolated; calm or rough waters—the choices are endless. Cheap holidays in Cyprus mean instant relaxation mode where you can beach-hop all day long.But sometimes, the pressure of finding the most secluded and unspoilt beach is overwhelming and […]

Located in the popular resort town of Torremolinos in Spain’s Costa del Sol , 3 star hotel Natursun sits on hill in Carihuela Beach, right along the main seaside road that crosses this medium sized town. It is a 10 minute walk to the beach, has several restaurants to choose from within walking distance as […]